Jesus Teaches About Calling

The last sermon we had in this series looked at the teachings of Jesus as presented in the book of Matthew. We ended with Jesus teaching on GREATNESS in the Kingdom of God.  Matthew 19:1 gives us a signal that Jesus teaching on that matter had ended and we are about to begin a new section with the phrase “when Jesus had finished saying these things”.

Jesus now enters into the region of Judea headed toward His final destination, Jerusalem. On His way he encounters a group of Pharisees with some hard bible questions, a group of mothers with their babies, a young man who is both wealthy and politically connected…   with each Jesus’ has a unique take on reality (He is God in the Flesh after all)… what He has to say is rarely what people expect.

Different perspectives on personal calling

You have a unique walk with God… we are all called to make different sacrifices, face different trials, and overcome different problems. We’re all called to grow in grace and knowledge, to build the mind of God in us and complete the spiritual creation God is working in us. We are unique… yet unified… a combination of diversity and commonality… like our own human families… yet brought to perfection in God’s family.

Matt 19: 3-12 Marriage & Divorce

Jesus is asked to weigh in on a controversial subject of the day… divorce & marriage. I won’t get into all the background cultural material here but I will draw your attention to a couple of key issues:

The Jewish laws of divorce (and therefore of marriage) were hotly disputed. Some were very strict… insisting that sexual immorality was the only justifiable cause for divorce. Others, were much looser… insisting that a man could divorce his wife for any reason he wanted to (too many bad hair days, not enough salt in her stew, etc). The Roman and Greek attitudes and practices of marriage and divorce were just as messed up… for many marriage was an act of financial convenience… easily entered into and easily exited as expedient.

Divorce was rampant… and a lot of people were callously abandoned and emotionally wounded.

Jesus definitely comes down more on the side of those who are strict. But, Jesus critique of marriage and divorce issues of the day were not built on a foundation of legality. Jesus goes back to the original intent of marriage… oneness, unity, faithfulness, purity. Obedience toward God is good but if you’re missing out on these other features you are missing out on huge sections of the mind of God.

The disciples perceive that if marriage is as binding and permanent as Jesus indicates… then it’s also kind of a scary commitment… perhaps “its better not to marry”. To which Jesus replies “agreed, if you cannot handle the commitment then you shouldn’t get into such a relationship”… but if your do…

The Oneness and Permanence of Marriage Teach About Your Calling

Permanence – you are called to eternal life…  that is permanent and that cannot be taken away. Christ will not suddenly offer you a certificate of divorce one day… I’ve changed my mind, I don’t love you anymore, “its not you its me”… I don’t want you around anymore.

You are called to a commitment to Christ, He wants to be committed to you… faithful and true, to enter into a relationship with you, that is permanent… binding… built on love. But, if you cannot handle that level of commitment then don’t get into the relationship. Analogy: If you don’t want to get married then don’t get engaged.

Matthew 19: 13-15 Your Attitude Toward Your Calling

Your attitude toward your calling should be like that of a child who knows that he/she is completely dependant… the child has no power of strength to save himself… or take care of herself.

What are you dependent upon God for? LIFE. Without His power to raise you up and give you life in that spiritual body that last forever… well, your body will just stay in that hole in the ground called a grave… you have not power or ability to give yourself life again after you have died... no immortal soul…You’re just fertilizer.

To give the disciples a bit of credit… they were probably shooing the mothers and children away to shield Jesus from the fatigue of dealing with people’s constant demands. They saw how much it took out of him… and these people weren’t that important anyway… parallel accounts show Jesus was not happy with the disciples for turning away those who would come to Him.

The calling of commitment to Christ is not a calling sent out only to those who are important, or worthy. The calling is for everyone… However,  it’s only going to be successful with those of us who willing to see, understand, appreciate… the value of what we are being offered… eternal life. Which we can only receive as a gift from our  father… because (like little children) we are completely helpless, unable to get it on our own.

Matthew 19: 16-21 Your Calling Might Involve Sacrifices

Parallel accounts in Luke and Mark we know this guy was: rich, young, high social status (archon or ruler)… he had what most people want! But, he wants more… He’s seeking eternal life and he has a question: What must I do to get what I’m looking for?

Does anyone see the problem here? …He’s asking the wrong question!
So what is the right question? …We’ll get to that in a minute.

First Jesus answers the man’s actual question… what must I do? Jesus answers: if you want to seek eternal life by good things you DO… you already have the answer you are looking for: the commandments. As the NT scriptures comment elsewhere, the commandments are holy, just and good… if ever there was a way to write down a written code that if perfectly obeyed would lead to eternal life… that’s the 10 commandments. If you’re looking for something good to do it doesn’t get any better!

You Not Called to Do But to Become

Doing stuff isn’t what God is looking for. He’s interested in what you are… I can do the Sabbath… I can keep every holy day… but if I’m a complete jerk to everyone along the way and treat them badly… am I a righteous person… or if I’m timid, fearful and won’t try anything for fear of making a mistake… am I a man of faith? All that doing is merely a way to develop and demonstrate what I must become… Also, if I refuse to do what I know to do that tells you a lot about what I am inside as well.

The man replied he was already doing all that commandment stuff. Jesus could have shown the man various ways he might have broken the commandments and exhorted him to try harder and do better… or He could ask “if you’re actually doing all that then why do you still feel that something is missing”.

True to the original request…Jesus gives the man something to do… but something that would touch what he was inside. Jesus gave him a calling… sell all your stuff, give it to the needy and follow me.

When Jesus had started listing commandments He cited the ones related to how a person treats his fellow man…  don’t kill, don’t cheat, don’t lie, don’t steal, honor your parents… and His special request that the man renounces all his possessions implies the man was perhaps not using his wealth in a way that was developing and demonstrating the mind of God.

Expecting those with wealth to use their blessings to bless and care for others… not the lazy but the helpless, the powerless (the widow, the orphan) was clearly spelled out in the OT scriptures. This way of expressing love for your fellow man was not some new idea God was springing on people.

Perhaps the man was too focused on his possessions in a worldly manner… his guarantee of personal comfort or security in this life…. What he had on this earth… in this life etc.

What is the Right Question?

What manner of person must I become to attain/get eternal life? And to this man, Jesus offers a calling “if you want to become perfect (telios/complete)… if you want to build the mind of God… you must desire this calling to follow Me… follow my way… more than you love your stuff.

Matthew 19:22-26 Riches Can Sidetrack Your Calling

Neither here nor anywhere else does the bible say that wealth is a sin… but God’s word is quite clear that wealth can be a trap. Wealth can create a mindset of:

False independence… I can deal with whatever comes my way… I have no need for God
Greed and selfishness... somehow once a person achieves comfort and luxury its either never enough… or they become obsessed with how to hold on to what they have

Note: Jesus didn’t say it was impossible… consider Zaccheus the richest man in Jericho, or Joseph of Arimathea, or Nicodemus… wealthy men who were able to use their blessing to serve God.

The rich are not shut out… but it is a danger. Your acceptance of God’s calling is based on a sense of need (He has what you need)… riches blur that sense of need. You may not be rich… is there something in your life (beauty, youth, intellect, talent, etc.) that blurs your ability to see your need? What are you called to overcome?

Matthew 19:27-30 Why Should I Accept a Calling That Involves Sacrifice?

The notion of sacrifice naturally suggests the question of reward… what do I get? Jesus answers: “what you will receive is more than what you give up”… although Jesus is speaking of spiritual things (palig-genesia, new birth, behold I make all things new… which the prophet sees and says: I saw new heavens and new earth) Jesus uses material examples: houses, property, family. (things we can relate to)

The blessings that will come from accepting and following your calling are not ever more abundant material passions, those are merely examples used to convey a concept…  as the scripture says “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)”.

Jesus didn’t try to explain the unexplainable… neither will I. What we do know is that this time of regeneration is a time of change: changing responsibilities, changing relationships (part of the family of God, from temporary physical life to eternal life that can never be taken away…

Verse 30 – Jesus says: with all this change… we will all be in for surprises. God’s standards, judgments are not like ours ()they don’t change)… He sees and evaluates with a completely different take on reality… things can… and will change. Your time of change is calling you now!

Matthew 20:1-16 A Parable About Calling

The parable is of a scenario familiar to the time… day laborers looking for work at the time of the grape harvest. You can read a lot into the parable but the meaning for our purpose today is simple enough: each person is called to a different walk with God…

Some might be called to a long slog in the hot sun, others might be called in the cool of the evening when there is not as much back-breaking labor to do. A person who has been in the church of God for decades might feel entitled… like they deserve more than someone who is new to the faith. Some who are called are rich / some poor… some suffer with sickness / some enjoy health… we cannot compare ourselves one to another, or our lives to the lives of others…

Was it hard working in the hot sun all day… yes. Was it hard waiting all day in the market worried that you’d never get hired and make enough money to feed your family…yes.

Verse 18 – shows that the parable is meant to explain the previous scenario of calling, sacrifice, commitment

Matthew 20:17-28 Accepting the Cost of Your Calling

We have talked a great deal about the disciple's wrong-headed approach to authority and position in the kingdom of God… Let’s talk about something else!

In spite of all the doom and gloom… the upcoming suffering and death of Jesus… His comments about drinking from the same cup. What’s amazing is that they still wanted to be a part of it. They said “yes, we are willing to go through whatever it takes. Note: their callings were very different…

James had a short life ended violently by execution by beheading… while John lives a long protracted life… decades of struggle, service, elation, and disappointment

Matthew 20:29-34 Don’t let Your Calling Pass You By

The two blind men… they would not let the opportunity pass them by. The crowd tried to discourage them… shhh, be quiet. But they cried out to Jesus and were not afraid… they were beggars but they did not want money… they wanted to see… to longer be blind… They got their request… and they FOLLOWED Jesus.

Conclusion: What is Your Calling?

Each of us has been (or is in) the process of spiritual creation by God our Father. Your calling is like a unique program designed especially for you… same faith… same spirit… same goal… but unique and different from everyone else in this room.

You are called to something that is permanent… eternal… that will never be taken away from you. You are called to accomplish, achieve and receive something you could not and would not ever accomplish on your own.

You are called to make sacrifices… to look forward to and enjoy great rewards… there are dangers an pitfalls along the way… but with God it is doable. It's yours… it's unique… and it's wonderful.